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Daniel Matson
9/21/13
Kelley, Whipple
American Studies Per. 3/6
What is an American?
Native Americans are one of the most discriminated against groups in America. Although
the Native Americans have inhabited this land long before the Untied States of America was
established, today they are being confined to reservations. According to the American Indians
Cultural Network, in the United States today there are 300 federal reservations not including
the 21 state reservations (American Indians Today). Native American groups are often
marginalized by society because of their cultural differences from the European colonists.
One reason that Native Americans are being marginalized, is because of their different
traditions and ways of life than the white settlers. For example, their belief in not owning land.
When early explorers and colonists first arrived in North America, they tried trading with the
Natives for their land. The Native Americans did not understand this concept of land ownership,
but gladly accepted their money or gifts. However, when more settlers arrived in the new world,
the Native Americans were pushed off their lands that they had mistakenly sold, thus be taken
advantage of by the white settlers. As the colonies, and eventually country, became bigger and
bigger the Native Americans were constantly being pushed off their territory. Inevitably, many
battles were fought between settlers and Native Americans over land occupation. These constant
cultural clashes created a hatred in the white settlers minds of the Native Americans, causing the
Native Americans to be often viewed as sub-humans or even savages justifying, to the
settlers, their unfair treatment of the Native peoples.
Native Americans have also been marginalized because of religious reforms occuring in
Europe and in the Americas. Like many other settlers, the pilgrims that came to Plymouth on the

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Mayflower, the Puritans, came to the new world to seek religious freedom. Right before these
Puritans had arrived, a costal area of land was made vacant of Native Americans due to a an
epidemic spreading through their tribes, given to them by European traders. The Puritans believe
that God had cleared this land for them and that it was their destiny to occupy and improve it.
Having this mindset the puritans kept expanding and taking land that they believed to be
naturally theirs. Again, their actions were justified because they were conquering in the name
of God. However they were also killing Native Americans and burning down their villages.
Some english settlers attempted to convert Native Americans to Christianity, while most focused
on clearing the path to their manifest destiny.
The final reason for the marginalization of the Native Americans is because of their
unwillingness to cooperate with the early European settlers. While there was occasionally Native
Americans who associated with the settlers, they generally kept their distance. Usually these
Native American had been forced into it somehow. For example, Squanto, who helped the
pilgrims of Plymouth, was a former slave who learned to speak english, and Pocahontas had
been forced to marry John Rolfe of Jamestown and move with him back to England, but most
Native Americans stayed away from the settlers creating a distant feeling between the
moderately closely neighboring groups. Some settlers did attempt to befriend the Native
Americans believing it was their mission from God to civilize the Natives and convert them to
Christianity. Most Native Americans refused to assimilate into this new society and accept this
religion, further distancing and cultivating disagreements between the two groups. Thomas
Jefferson writes in a letter to Benjamin Hawkins, advocating for the assimilation of the Native
Americans into American Society, arguing that assimilation would follow the natural progress
and that it will be better for both the American society and the Native American Population

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(Jefferson). Admittedly this would be a great thing if Native Americans were to play a more
prominent role in American society. In addition, this would be a great way to enhance diversity
in our culture. However, American society is already a combination of many other cultures and
ethnicities. Furthermore, Native American society could be strong, if they werent forced into
mixing with American civilization, and letting it remain an independent culture.
This important issue of Native American marginalization affects our society today in
America. While today, some Native Americans have completely assimilated into the macroculture of the American society, many others are clinging to their roots, speaking native
languages and following traditions. Due to the Native Americans cultural differences including
opposing religious views and relationships with the colonists, the Native American peoples of
today are being pushed to the margins of society in America and being forced to live in
reservations together, or face ridicule based on their heritage.

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Works Cited

American Indians Today American-indians.net. American Indians cultural network. Web. 24

Sept. 2013
Jefferson, Thomas. Policy of Civilization and Assimilation. 1803. Letter.